This Time Around, Lavonte ‘Recruits’ Yoshi

Thursday afternoon, the commercial flight that carried 6-7, 320-pound Yoshi Hardricklanded at Tampa International Airport at 1 o’clock. Seventeen minutes later, another airline carrying 6-1, 225-pound Lavonte Davidtouched
down at the same airport. Within minutes, two close friends who were
teammates at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College and the University of
Nebraska were together again, heading to Raymond James Stadium, the
current home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Former Huskers Carl Nicksand Larry Asanteare already Buccaneers, and David and Hardrick are eager to join them.

David’s chances of making the team are
sky-high. Nebraska’s first-team All-America linebacker is Tampa Bay’s
second-round draft choice and gets effusive praise and sweeping endorsementsfrom the likes of ESPN analysts John Gruden and Mel Kiper.
David is so confident, in fact, that he’s been vocal about touting
Hardrick, who hopes to make enough of an impression at this weekend’s
three-day rookie camp to warrant a free-agent contract. Make no mistake.
All four ex-Huskers want to play in a stadium with a 103-foot, 43-ton,
steel-and-concrete pirate ship that fires soft-rubber footballs and
confetti every time the Bucs score or enter the other team’s red zone.

Of the four, Hardrick is the definitive
longshot, but in times of trouble, he’s a got a friend in David. “We
went to junior college together; we went to college together; now we
want to play pro football together,” Hardrick said. “Basically, this all
comes down to having a friend and a buddy there and having a chance to
live another dream together. It’s always been a dream of mine to play
pro football with Lavonte. Right after Tampa drafted him, he told me he
was going to do everything he could to get me drafted, too.” It didn’t
happen, but the next best thing did. Tampa Bay was the first of eight
NFL teams to contact Hardrick after the draft, and Yoshi liked what they
were telling him. “They told me if I come in and play Nebraska
football, I have a good chance to make the team,” he said. “I have a lot
of options, so I’m taking them at their word and give them everything I
have in me.”

Yoshi hopes to seize his opportunity the same
way David capitalized on his at Nebraska. “Lavonte’s always wanted to
help me the way I helped him,” Hardrick said. “I got him here to
Nebraska, and now he’s helping me get my chance there in Tampa. Lavonte
didn’t have the opportunity to come to Lincoln until I spoke up. I said
the only way I was coming to Nebraska was if I could bring Lavonte with
me. I was committed to LSU for a year and said the same thing to them.
Nebraska finally offered Lavonte, and we came here together, two best
friends living a dream. Coming to Tampa is like starting over again
together. We rode to Nebraska together, and flying into Tampa seems like
our first day of college again. The only difference is, this time he
recruited me instead of the other way around. I would give any team the
best I got in me, but getting a chance to play with Lavonte again …
that’s so special for both of us … I’m going to control everything I can
control, so two best friends can live their dream together one more
time.”